Simple Crockpot Lasagna

Finding time to make a homemade lasagna on busy weeknights can feel impossible. Between work, kids’ activities, and everything else on your plate, spending hours layering noodles and waiting by the oven just isn’t realistic for most of us.

That’s where this crockpot lasagna comes to the rescue: it delivers all the comfort and flavor of traditional lasagna with minimal effort, uses ingredients you probably already have, and practically cooks itself while you handle the rest of your day.

What Kind of Lasagna Noodles Should I Use?

You can use either regular lasagna noodles or the oven-ready variety for this crockpot recipe, and both will turn out great. The regular noodles will need the moisture from the sauce and that half cup of water to cook properly, while oven-ready noodles are designed to soften without pre-boiling. If you’re using regular noodles, don’t worry about cooking them first – the slow cooker will do all the work for you. Just make sure your noodles are completely covered by sauce and liquid so they cook evenly and don’t end up with any hard spots.

Options for Substitutions

This crockpot lasagna is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap the beef for ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage. If using sausage, you might want to reduce the added salt since it’s already seasoned.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese works as a great substitute – just drain it well and give it a quick blend if you prefer a smoother texture. You can also use a mix of cream cheese and sour cream.
• Lasagna noodles: Regular lasagna noodles work fine, but if you only have oven-ready noodles, add an extra 1/4 cup of water to help them cook properly in the crockpot.
• Mozzarella cheese: Feel free to mix it up with provolone, Italian blend cheese, or even add some parmesan for extra flavor. Just keep the total amount around 2 cups.
• Tomato sauce: Any pasta sauce works here – marinara, meat sauce, or even a simple crushed tomato sauce with your own seasonings. Just make sure you have about 3-4 cups total.
• Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil or parsley, dried Italian seasoning (about 1 teaspoon) mixed into the sauce works just fine.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with crockpot lasagna is not browning your ground beef properly before adding it to the slow cooker – take the time to get a nice sear and drain excess fat, or you’ll end up with greasy, flavorless meat floating in your sauce. Another common error is layering your noodles too thick or overlapping them too much, which prevents even cooking and can leave you with crunchy spots, so break the noodles as needed to create a single layer. Don’t skip adding that half cup of water to the crockpot, even though it seems unnecessary – the steam helps cook the noodles evenly and prevents the edges from drying out. Finally, resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking since each peek releases steam and can add 15-20 minutes to your cooking time, and always let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes after cooking so it holds together when you slice it.

What to Serve With Crockpot Lasagna?

This hearty crockpot lasagna is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with a crisp Caesar salad or simple mixed greens to cut through all that cheesy goodness. Garlic bread is always a winner too – you can’t go wrong with something to soak up any extra sauce on your plate. If you want to keep things easy, just warm up some crusty Italian bread and brush it with butter and garlic powder. A light side of roasted vegetables like zucchini or broccoli also pairs nicely if you’re looking to add some extra veggies to the meal.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Leftover crockpot lasagna keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just cover it tightly with foil or transfer portions to airtight containers. I actually think it tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to meld together!

Freeze: This lasagna freezes like a dream for up to 3 months. Cut it into individual portions and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags for easy grab-and-go meals. You can also freeze the whole thing if you prefer – just make sure it’s wrapped well to prevent freezer burn.

Reheat: To warm up your lasagna, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes until heated through. For single portions, the microwave works great too – just heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes. If it’s frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first for best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3600-4000
• Protein: 180-210 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 410-450 g

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 jars (22 fl oz each) tomato sauce (such as classico sweet basil marinara)
• 1/2 cup water

For the lasagna assembly:

• 1 lb uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 tub (16.8 oz) ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

For garnish:

• Fresh parsley or basil, chopped

Step 1: Cook the Beef and Prepare the Meat Sauce

• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 jar (22 fl oz) tomato sauce (such as Classico sweet basil marinara)

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the extra-lean ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the chopped yellow onion and minced garlic.

Season with salt and black pepper, then stir to combine.

Pour in one jar of tomato sauce and mix well, allowing the flavors to meld for a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat.

Step 2: Prepare the Slow Cooker and Begin Layering

• nonstick cooking spray
• meat sauce from Step 1

Spray the inside of your slow cooker generously with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Spoon a small amount of the meat sauce from Step 1 onto the bottom of the slow cooker to create a thin layer.

Step 3: Assemble the Lasagna Layers

• 1 lb uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 tub (16.8 oz) ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• meat sauce from Step 1

Begin assembling the lasagna by layering uncooked lasagna noodles over the meat sauce base, breaking the noodles as needed to fit.

Add dollops of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese over the noodles.

Spoon more meat sauce from Step 1 on top.

Repeat these layers—noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and meat sauce—until the slow cooker is full or you’ve used up the ingredients, typically about 3 layers in total.

I like to spread the cheeses evenly to get that perfect cheesy melt in every bite.

Step 4: Add Sauce and Finish Topping

• 1 jar (22 fl oz) tomato sauce (such as Classico sweet basil marinara)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (remaining, if any)
• 1/2 cup water

Pour the second jar of tomato sauce evenly over the top layer of the lasagna.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.

Gently pour the water around the sides of the lasagna in the slow cooker to help the noodles cook evenly and avoid dryness.

Step 5: Cook and Garnish the Lasagna

• fresh parsley or basil, chopped

Cover the slow cooker and cook the lasagna on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is bubbly.

Once cooked, let the lasagna rest for a few minutes.

Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley or basil before serving.

I find that fresh herbs really brighten up the dish and add a lovely aroma.

Simple Crockpot Lasagna

Delicious Simple Crockpot Lasagna recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 38 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 3800

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the meat sauce:

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 jars (22 fl oz each) tomato sauce (such as Classico sweet basil marinara)
• 1/2 cup water

For the lasagna assembly:

• 1 lb uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 tub (16.8 oz) ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

For garnish:

• fresh parsley or basil, chopped

Method

 

1. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the extra-lean ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the chopped yellow onion and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir to combine. Pour in one jar of tomato sauce and mix well, allowing the flavors to meld for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Spray the inside of your slow cooker generously with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Spoon a small amount of the meat sauce from Step 1 onto the bottom of the slow cooker to create a thin layer.
3. Begin assembling the lasagna by layering uncooked lasagna noodles over the meat sauce base, breaking the noodles as needed to fit. Add dollops of ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese over the noodles. Spoon more meat sauce from Step 1 on top. Repeat these layers—noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and meat sauce—until the slow cooker is full or you've used up the ingredients, typically about 3 layers in total. I like to spread the cheeses evenly to get that perfect cheesy melt in every bite.
4. Pour the second jar of tomato sauce evenly over the top layer of the lasagna. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Gently pour the water around the sides of the lasagna in the slow cooker to help the noodles cook evenly and avoid dryness.
5. Cover the slow cooker and cook the lasagna on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Once cooked, let the lasagna rest for a few minutes. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley or basil before serving. I find that fresh herbs really brighten up the dish and add a lovely aroma.